Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
-
Abnormal relationships between supply and demand are common in the oil industry for a variety of reasons, including the cartels that control its generation, but this year's rapid price rises have... -
VW pushes Ford aside to take number 3 sales spotGeneral Motors and Toyota have long had the first and second-place global sales battle locked up between themselves, but Ford has previously slotted quite comfortably into third place. That appears to be the case no longer, as Volkswagen has announced its first half sales for 2008 outstripped the...
Nelson Ireson -
Update: Volvo rumored to be working on V30 crossover for 2010Update: Despite previous reports claiming the global downturn has caused Volvo to nix future variants of the C30, the Swedish carmaker is now rumored to be working on a new crossover variant of the stylish hatch for launch in 2010. The V30 is expected to feature a five-door body and be slightly...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford unveils new 2010 Mustang badgeWith the launch of the 2010 Mustang countdown mini-site just a few weeks ago, Ford began its pre-launch hype-machine, working to build anticipation over the upcoming pony car. Hoping to keep that momentum rolling, Ford today released its new 2010 Mustang badge. Featuring a sharper, more chiseled...
Nelson Ireson -
Spy shots: 2011 Chevrolet BeatUpdated with new images. General Motors is scrambling to bring some of its small-car concepts to life as global preferences and oil price pressures drive interest in the segment to new highs. Near the top of the list is the Beat concept, currently in development by GM Daewoo in South Korea. These...
Nelson Ireson -
2009 Hyundai Genesis earns 5-star NHTSA crash ratingTargeting the world's luxury carmakers with an all-new, unknown product and a less-than-ideal brand reputation will make for a tough sell for Hyundai's Genesis sedan, despite favorable early reports. That job will, however, get a little bit easier now that the car has earned a five-star safety...
Nelson Ireson -
Racing and competitive motorsports have long been some of the primary avenues of automotive research and advancement, and that tradition is set to continue with the Formula Zero kart racing league.... -
General Motors picks top 10 concepts of first 100 yearsJust a yesterday we brought you General Motors' top 10 production car picks from its first 100 years of operation, and now we have the top 10 concept choices from the company as well. Like the production car selections, the list is not so much an exhaustive enumeration of stand-out designs, but...
Nelson Ireson -
2009 Volkswagen Routan comes with college tuition voucherThis year has seen a larger-than-normal number of advertising and marketing gimmicks as carmakers work to rally sales despite tough conditions. Fuel incentives, loan incentives and employee pricing are just a few of the methods that have been employed. But Volkswagen is taking the idea a step...
Nelson Ireson -
MG's TF roadster canceled for North AmericaExcitement over the revival of the long-dormant MG brand of sports cars has been cyclically built-up and dashed as the Chinese ownership, Nanjing Automobile Corporation, has repeatedly hit delays in the process. Now the word was come from company officials that the TF roadster won't be making it to...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes releases new SLR McLaren 722 Edition videoThe partnership between Mercedes and McLaren for the SLR supercar is drawing to a close, but there is still at least one new model in the works. A speedster version of the SLR 722 Edition is expected to be released in time for the Paris Motor Show this October, but until then this video of the...
Nelson Ireson -
Insurance rates climb despite drop in distance drivenAmericans are driving less and less as oil prices continue to hold at relatively high levels, but despite the decrease in road usage, insurance companies aren't dropping their rates. Typically, distance driven is directly correlated with the likelihood of crashes - that's the basic theory that...
Nelson Ireson -
When oil prices continued shooting skyward and the U.S. economy faltered through the second quarter of this year, Ford announced it would be shifting its focus from trucks to cars. One of the first... -
Fiat Portofino concept re-creates 1960s beach carsNamed for the sunny Italian town with its legendary beaches, the Portofino vehicle concept, based around the coachbuilt Fiat beach-cars of the 1960s, features an odd yet attractive marriage of form and function. Built from a Fiorino Combi van, the Portofino strives to offer utility with five-person...
Nelson Ireson -
O.CT Audi S3 with 550hp RWD powertrainThe last time we heard from the Austrian tuners at O.CT they were working their magic on a Fiat 500, boosting power by 20% and giving it a new appearance. Now they've turned their efforts onto a last-generation Audi S3, but with more extreme modifications in mind - including a switch from AWD to...
Nelson Ireson -
GM picks its own top 10 cars of the past 100 yearsThe Internet, and America in particular, loves top 10 lists. Whether they're favorite cars or simply reasons to vote, top 10 lists fuel many a spirited watercooler discussion. General Motors' most recent addition to the cultural phenomenon is no different, with a few odd choices for its own...
Nelson Ireson -
GM Lambda-based crossovers take IIHS Top Pick AwardTaking top honors in the IIHS safety regimen requires a good rating in each of the agency's front, side and rear impact tests plus the inclusion of stability control as a standard feature. GMC's Acadia crossover and its Lamda platform cousins have done just that and claimed the honor of the IIHS...
Nelson Ireson -
Jaguar-Land Rover faces production cuts, layoffsSlumping sales at Jaguar and Land Rover have prompted the companies to cut their workforce by 300 jobs, eliminating two shifts at the Solihull production facility. Further cutbacks are expected next month as well, costing three shifts at the Halewood factory where the Jaguar X-Type is built. The...
Nelson Ireson -
General Motors' Saturn brand currently boasts one of the youngest overall lineups in the industry - its oldest model is the Saturn Sky (pictured), which debuted in 2006 as a 2007 model. Tough... -
KTM working to bring X-Bow to U.S.Previous statements to the contrary notwithstanding, the U.S. arm of KTM is working hard to bring the X-Bow track-day weapon to the U.S. The goal is to get a street-legal version of the car on the roads once all regulatory hurdles are cleared, but so far no firm commitment or target date has been...
Nelson Ireson -
VW confirms new compact sedan, increases output of Puebla plantVolkswagen today announced it will be increasing output at its Puebla, Mexico plant from 450,000 vehicles annually to 550,000 in order to accommodate production of a new compact sedan. The company has confirmed that it will be a new world car, intended for all of VW's markets except for China. That...
Nelson Ireson -
Rex Accelero SLK 55 Widebody offers junior alternative to SL 65 Black SeriesCalifornia tuning company Rex Accelero has revealed a widebody kit for the SLK 55 that brings the front and rear fenders out by at least 2.5 inches, offering lower-weight replacement parts, special aero pieces and the ability to house much wider wheels. The kit is pitched as a perfect track-day...
Nelson Ireson -
Land Rover makes record journey across Bering StraitA UK man has set a record as the first to cross the Bering Strait in a land vehicle. Deciding to tackle the problem in a unique way, Steve Burgess decided that instead of attempting to cross the icebridge that forms across the water in winter, he'd wait for it to melt and float across. That...
Nelson Ireson -
Blaupunkt GPS systems feature video routes and sign recognitionComing to the International Radio Show in Berlin, August 28, two new Blaupunkt navigation systems offer real-time video navigation and traffic sign recognition. The two units, called the TravelPilot 500 and 700, also feature interactive voice controls, Bluetooth and in the case of the 700, internet...
Nelson Ireson